Canadian Wildfire Explodes Tenfold Forcing Even More Evacuations

More than 80,000 residents ordered to leave city and at least 1,600 buildings destroyed

The devastating wildfire that has already forced all 88,000 residents to flee Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, exploded tenfold in size on Thursday, cutting off evacuees in camps and shelters north of the city.

Firefighters are trying to battle the out-of-control blaze, which has already destroyed homes and is threatening infrastructure.

Officials estimated that 1,600 structures had been damaged or destroyed by Wednesday night.

As flames fanned south on Thursday, officials also issued mandatory evacuation orders for the Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation communities which are located about 50km south of Fort McMurray.

The out-of-control blaze has burned down entire neighborhoods of Fort McMurray in Canada’s energy heartland and forced a precautionary shutdown of some oil production, driving up global oil prices.

Three days after the residents were ordered to leave Fort McMurray, firefighters were still battling to protect homes, businesses and other structures from the flames. More than 1,600 structures, including hundreds of homes, have been destroyed.

Although the cause of the fire was unknown, officials said tinder-dry brush, low humidity and hot, gusting winds left crews unable to stop the flames.

The blaze, which erupted on Sunday, grew from 18,500 acres (7,500 hectares) on Wednesday to some 210,000 acres (85,000 hectares) on Thursday, an area roughly 10 times the size of Manhattan.

“What people in that region have gone through in the last couple of days is literally hell on earth,” Rona Ambrose, leader of the opposition Conservative Party and an Albertan, fighting back tears as she addressed the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.

Fire has intermittently blocked the only route south toward major cities, so thousands of evacuees fled north toward oil camps and a few small settlements but found themselves with no road route out.

A motorist’s dashcam has captured the hellish escape from wildfire. The footage below captures the sinister smoke-filled sky, embers falling on the cars, deer desperately crossing the road, and even a bird flying low over traffic to escape the fire.